Armrest



g- 1951 F. J coLLms ARMREST Filed NOV. 15, 1946 INVENTOR.

Fenn'c/s J COLL/N5 fl ArTZQNEYa Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT?" OFFICE" 3 Claims.

This invention relatesto portablevor detachable, arm rests .for seatsand particularly for use on the l seats of automobiles and other vehicles An-objectof the present inventionis to provide an: arm rest device of this character -which is of 5 a verysimple constructionsuch thatthedevice can. be economicallymanufactured andpan be v conveniently handled and .usedfor the purpose. intended.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide v10 an improved arm, rest in the form of a sel f;,,v contained unitary device which; can be conyenir ently stored when not needed andt twhich will;be I ready f or instant use simply by placinglthedeyice in the desired positionon. theseat and Whigh;:j ;l5 doesnotrequire the application or manipulation'-v of fastening devices of anylgind'. v

A further object is to provide anarnrrest de vice. of the character mentioned; which is espew, cially applicable to a vehicleseatstructure .of;the-;;20 kind having seat and back restmemberswith a crevice ,therebetween and wherein-the arn -rest device isa portable unitarystructure;havinga base portion adapted-t0 rest-on; the seat membe ion-supporting thev devicet-hereon in upright e- .25 lation and the base portion has an extensignporegz tion adapted to be inserted into such crevice.

Still another, objectis to provide an; improved construction for an arm. rest device ;-of 1the kind v en n d n eh th top p rtionaform an. mss or a h s; ho ste yrcu hionina... and coveringmaterial. thereon 1;,

Other-objects and advantages ef the invention; will be apparentfrom; the iollowing detailed de hti n h mpan i s etgorrd aw: ings intvhich Fig 1 isa partialperspective-viewshowing the improved arm rest. device beingused .onithedrivr. ers seat, of an automobile;

Fig. Zis a sideselevation of theisameg arm rest :49

device Fig-s3 is a front. endviewv of the device;-

Fignfi is a vertical sectional view of the device taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig.5 is a side elevation-showing a HIQQifiQQ-gfiin form of the armrest .clevice';-

Fig. 6 is a front end view thereof;

Fig.7 is a vertical sectionalviewtakentorrline 1-7] of Fig. 5;

Fig; 3 is a side .view with portions broken away h.

showing another modified form of device,, ancl Fig; 9 is a partialsideelevation showing still W anothermodified construction for thedevice.

the arm r s astpnep bodim nt .o t ev i ntionz, ssg;.-;l

' avinstgl pepd nsintegral.r iniorcineh adse appliedto various kindspf seat structures and can be used. to .advantageon theseats of autc-;.,., mobiles and other. vehicles .ior preventing onal-l. leviating. fatigue .on long-trips Fig. 1 shows the arm rest. device IQ being-used on thejront or; driversseatji of an,..auto-rnobile .12 for support ing or restingthe driveflsrightarm and when soused it supplementslthearrn rest l3 usually provided onthedoor 1.4 of the vehicl e,

The seat structure ll .15 hereshown as com-...... prising a substantially horizontal seatv member. 5. and an upright backrest member 15. Theseat. andbaclr rest membersnliand L6 .are mounted. on a suitable supporting structure so that the I rear edgeoi the seat member andthe lower edge, of the' baclr restmem ber are .incontiguous .rela tion and define a rearwardlyjand downwardly extending crevice l8 vtherebetween. The seat and, back: rest members .lfiyandhlfi maybe .01" any clesired specific construction .Sllchjs a conventional. upholstered constructionpommonly employedvin p s n r v cles,

The arm rest device I0 is of an open or skeleton-like construction comprisingelongated, substantially parallel; top, and, base. portions 2!] and 2i anpl an upright connecting portion, 22 which connects the top and baseportions at the front; end. of thedevice The top and. base portions may. also be connectedata second point as by 1 means of anupright brace or ,post, 23 extending therebetween and spaced .rearwardlv from the;

onn ctin rt onlzfi ss wnin F sal and 2, the body of the'arm rest device I9 is of a substantially, U-shape. in hichthe .top. and base portions 3!] and 2! form thesides of theHU-shape andthe; connecting portion 22 forms the bottom of the Ll-shafpe. t

The. U-shaped ,body Iof the arm. rest. device. l0 can be made of anyappropriatematerialbutis preferably made 'of sheet,materialssocthat the device can be economically manufacturedand will be strong, yet relatively lightin weight. The sheet material ..used for. .,this,;purp0se can 1 be a suitable, form of sheet netal such .as sheet aluininurn or, sh eet steel, o'r i f desired,,. the sheet 111217.

.terial; cambela. suitable form .of non-metallic or plas tic .materia1.

Thetop portion 20 .forrn-s a substantiallyv horizontally extending; armsupportand may be an. elongated substantially 1flatcplate lilre ;portion flanges 24 extending along its longitudinal side edges. The forward end of the top portion 20 is integrally joined to the upright connecting portion 22 by means of the rounded corner 25. The rear end of the top portion 20 has a curved, taillike portion 26 formed as an integral rearward extension and providing a curved abutment which will engage and follow part-way along the curved surface of the front face of the back rest member I6 when the arm rest device is mounted in position for use as shown in Fig. 1.

Although Fig. 2 shows the curved abutment 26 as extending rearwardly and upwardly of the arm rest device 10, it can, if desired, be extended downwardly and rearwardly as shown at 260. in the modified arm rest device lDa of Fig. 9. The side flanges or beads 24 of the top portion 20 are preferably carried in continuous relation rearwardly into the curved abutment portion 26. These beads or flanges may be of a curved crosssectional shape, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so as to impart a desired shape and smooth contour to the top portion of the device and to also give the device an attractive appearance.

The base portion 2i is of an elongated substantially fiat, plate-like form having its forward end integrally joined to the upright connecting portion 22 .by means of the rounded corner 28. The base portion 2| is of greater length than the top portion 26 and at its rear end has a downwardly and rearwardly inclined extension portion 20a which is engageable in the crevice l8 of the seat structure H when the arm rest device llJ is mounted thereon in position for use as shown in Fig. l. The flat base portion 20 rests on the top surface of the seat member l5 and supports the arm rest device thereon in the upright relation shown in Fig. 1 and the engagement of the extension portion a in the crevice [8 causes the device to remain in the .desired position on the seat structure. The base portion 2|, including the extension 20a thereof, may be constructed with upturned, shallow, longitudinal flanges 29 extending along the side edges thereof.

These flanges reinforce the base portion and also i impart thereto a smooth and finished appearance.

The connecting portion 22 extends in upright relation at the front end of the device and forms a rigid support for the front end of the top portion 20. This connecting portion may have rearwardly extending shallow edge flanges or beads 36 thereon which can be carried in contiguous relation around the corners and 28. The flanges 36 reinforce the upright connecting portion 22 and impart a smooth and finished characteristic thereto.

The connecting member 23 can be a brace or post of any appropriate form and having its ends riveted, welded or otherwise connected to the top and base portions 20 and 2|. In this instance the connecting member 23 is in the form of a metal bar and forms a rigid connection which maintains the top and base portions in a fixed spaced relation at the rear end of the device.

In constructing the arm rest device [0, the U-shaped body thereof can be formed from a single piece or length of sheet material which is bent or otherwise formed to the U-shape so that the opposite end portions of the stock form the top and base portions 20 and 2| of the device and the intermediate portion of the stock forms the connecting portion 22. A desired cross-sectional shape for the top, base and connecting portions, such as these shapes described above, can be obtained by shaping these portions of the body of the device in appropriate dies or with appropriate tools. It is not necessary that the body of the arm rest device be made from a single piece of material since the top, base, and connecting portions can be separate pieces which have been formed to the desired shape and which pieces can then be welded, riveted, or otherwise connected together in the relative arrangement shown in the drawings for these portions of the device.

From the construction above .described, it will be seen that the arm rest device [0 is in the form of an open, unitary structure, light in weight and adapted to be economically manufactured, and which can be easily handled and quickly mounted on a seat in the location at which it is desired to be used. In assembling the device on the seat structure it is only necessary to place the base portion 2! on the seat member l5 and insert the rear extension 26a into the crevice l8 so as to bring the curved abutment 26 into engagement with the front face of the back rest member I6. When the device is no longer needed it can be detached from the seat structure by simply lifting the device therefrom and simultaneously withdrawing the rear extension 20a from the crevice 18. The device can then be stored in a suitable space or compartment of the vehicle for future use.

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 show an arm rest device 32 which is similar to the arm rest device II] described above but in which the base and top portions 33 and 34 are connected only b the upright front connecting portion 35. In this form of the device the connection between the top portion 34 and the upright portion 35 can be reinforced by providing a pair of webs 36 which extend across and form the side faces of the corner 31. The webs 36 are preferably formed as integral extensions of the longitudinal side flanges or beads 38 of the top portion 34. Similarly the corner 39 connecting the base portion 33 with the upright portion 35 is reinforced by a pair of webs 46 which extend across and form the side faces of this corner.

Fig. 8 of the drawings shows another modified arm rest device 42 having a substantially U- shaped body similar to that of the arm rest device 32 above described and which includes base and top portions 43 and 44 and an upright'connecting portion 45. In this modified construction the top portion 44 has a longitudinally extending resilient pad or cushion 46 thereon and which is suitably secured thereto. The top portion 44 is also provided with a covering 41 of fabric or upholstering material which extends over the cushion 46 and around the side flanges or beads 44a of the top portion. The cushion 46 can be made of sponge rubber or the like in which case it can be cemented or vulcanized to the top portion 44. The fabric or upholstery covering 41 is here shown as being applied only to the top portion 44 of the arm rest device 42 but, if desired, it can be extended to also cover the upright portion 45 and the base portion 43.

When the arm rest device does not include the cushion 46 and the upholstery covering 41, as in the case of the arm rest device I0 described above, the device can have any desired finish; for example, when constructed of sheet steel it can be plated, painted or nameled; or when constructed of sheet aluminum it can have a bright metallic finish; When the device is made of a non-metallic sheet material such as plastic, the material can have a coloring substance of any desired shade incorporated therein.

From the foregoing description and the ac companying drawing it will now be readily understood that this invention provides a simple, light-weight and ttractive arm rest device in the form of a portable unitary structure which can be economically manufactured and can be conveniently used in an automobile or other vehicle for improving the riding comfort of driver or passenger.

Although the arm rest device of this invention has been illustrated and described herein in some detail, it will be understood of course that the invention is not to be regarded as being correspondingly limited but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the appended claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An arm rest device comprising a portable structure having a one-piece body made of sheet material and consisting of substantially parallel top and base portions and an upright portion comiecting said top and base portions at one end of the device, said base portion having upturned longitudinal side edges and being adapted to rest on a, seat for supporting the device thereon in upright relation and said top portion constituting an arm support and having down turned longitudinal side edges.

2. An arm rest device comprising a portable structure having a one-piece body made of sheet material and consisting of substantially parallel top and base portions, an upright portion at one end of the device, and corner portions connecting said top and base portions with said upright portion, said base portion being adapted to rest on a seat for supporting the device thereon in upright relation and said top portion constituting an arm support, said top and base portions having inturned longitudinal edge flanges thereon and said corner portions having reinforcing webs at the sides thereof which span the connections 6 between the top and base portions and said up right portion, said Webs being continuations of said edge flanges.

3. A detachable arm rest device for us with a vehicle seat structure of the hind having upholstered seat and back rest members with a rearwardly and downwardly extending crevice therebetween, comprising a portable unitary structure having a substantially C-shaped one-piece sheet metal body formed from a single strip of sheet metal, said sheet metal body having elongated substantially parallel top and base portions formed by end portions of said strip and a flat upright connecting portion at the front end thereof connecting said top and base portions and formed by an intermediate portion of said strip, said top portion being a wide flat portion forming an arm support and said base portion being a Wide fiat portion adapted to rest on the top of the upholstered seat member for supporting the device thereon, said wide flat top portion having the rear end thereof curved upwardly and adapted to abut against the front face of the upholstered back rest member and said Wide flat base portion having a downwardly deflected rear end portion of a length to engage in said crevice when the curved rear end of said top member is in en gagement with said back rest member.

FRANCIS J. COLLINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 236,428 Hall Jan. 11, 1881 645,176 Marsh Mar. 13, 1900 1,650,385 Payton Nov. 22, 1927 1,890,102 Urguhart Dec. 6, 1932 2,043,626 Morrison June 9, 1936 2,276,857 Muller Mar. 17, 1942 2,296,628 Coppock Sept. 22, 1942 2,365,003 Reinholz Dec. 12, 1944 

